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United States Patent |
5,192,227
|
Bales
|
March 9, 1993
|
Din rail mounting bracket
Abstract
The present invention discloses an apparatus for adapting an electronic or
electrical device enclosure for mounting on a DIN mounting rail having two
opposed outwardly extending flanges. The apparatus comprises a DIN
mounting rail bracket having provisions for attaching to the enclosure of
the electrical or electronic device. The mounting rail bracket is provided
with a hook for receiving a portion of one of the outwardly extending
flanges of the DIN rail. The mounting rail bracket is also provided with a
selectively operable locking and releasing mechanism opposite the hook for
locking onto and releasing from a portion of the other outwardly extending
flange of the DIN rail.
Inventors:
|
Bales; Ronald K. (Raleigh, NC)
|
Assignee:
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Square D Company (Palatine, IL)
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Appl. No.:
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811728 |
Filed:
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December 23, 1991 |
Current U.S. Class: |
439/532; 439/716 |
Intern'l Class: |
H01R 013/60 |
Field of Search: |
439/532,716-725
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
2983897 | May., 1961 | Blanchet | 439/722.
|
4390230 | Jun., 1983 | Knickerbocker | 439/716.
|
4921445 | May., 1990 | Herbert | 439/716.
|
Foreign Patent Documents |
2351530 | Apr., 1975 | DE | 439/716.
|
3732267 | Sep., 1988 | DE | 439/716.
|
Primary Examiner: Desmond; Eugene F.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Golden; Larry I., Femal; Michael J., Shrout; Larry T.
Claims
I claim:
1. An apparatus for adapting an electrical or electronic device enclosure
to be mounted on a DIN rail having two opposed outwardly extending
flanges, said apparatus comprising:
a bracket, generally rectangular in shape, having a top surface, a bottom
surface, a first end, a second end generally parallel to and spaced apart
from said first end, at least one mounting flange having apertures therein
for receiving means for attaching to the electrical or electronic device
enclosure, and means for rotatively attaching to the DIN rail and means
for selectively releasing from the DIN rail.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mounting flange extends from said
first end of said bracket to a point near said second end of said bracket
and is generally perpendicular to said first and second ends and extends
outwardly from and perpendicularly to said top surface.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for rotatively attaching to
said DIN rail further includes:
a generally J-shaped hook at said first end, said hook having a long side
common with said bottom surface, a short side spaced apart from said long
side and having an end generally facing said second end of said bracket,
said hook receives a portion of one of the two opposed outwardly extending
flanges of the DIN rail in the space between said long and short sides.
4. The device of claim 3 wherein a dimple projects downwardly from said
bottom surface at a point slightly beyond said end of said short side of
said hook, said dimple engages the DIN rail flange causing a frictional
interference between said dimple, said short side of said hook, and that
portion of the flange received within said hook, thereby preventing said
mounting bracket from sliding linearly along the DIN rail.
5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said second end includes a flange
extending outwardly from and perpendicularly to said bottom surface of
said bracket and terminating at a distal end.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means for selectively releasing
from the DIN rail comprises a flexible latching member having one end
integrally connected to said distal end of said flange and another end
extending upwardly above said top surface to provide leverage for flexing
said latching member.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said flexible latching member further
comprises:
(A) an inclined surface having a first end pivotably attached to said
distal end of said flange, and a second end, said inclined surface forming
an acute angle with said flange for slidably engaging the outermost edge
of the DIN rail flange opposite that portion of the opposed DIN rail
flange received within said hook such that the edge of the DIN rail flange
causes the locking member to flex outwardly permitting the edge of the DIN
rail flange to slidably pass along the inclined surface
(B) a latch surface generally parallel to and spaced apart from said bottom
surface of said mounting bracket a distance approximately equal to the
distance between said short side of said hook and said bottom surface,
said latch surface includes a first end integrally connected to said
second end of said inclined surface and a second end
(C) a release lever generally perpendicular to said latch surface and
parallel to said flange, said release lever having one end integrally
connected to said second end of said latch surface and another end
extending upwardly beyond said top surface of said mounting bracket, said
release lever being selectively movable causing said latch surface to move
between an engaged position and a disengaged position.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to mounting brackets for use with electrical or
electronic devices, and more specifically, to mounting brackets for
attaching devices to DIN rails.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Most electrical or electronic device enclosures including photoelectric
sensor enclosures are provided with holes for attaching to a mounting
bracket. The mounting bracket is generally an L-shaped bracket designed
for mounting the device to a flat surface. These L-shaped brackets
generally include holes on one leg for attaching to the device enclosure
and holes on the other leg for attaching to the mounting surface. Devices
which have provisions for mounting on DIN rails have had these provisions
incorporated as an integral part of the device enclosure. Mounting on a
DIN rail requires locking mechanism and a release mechanism which
generally includes a movable or flexible part which can be released from
the mounting rail. Rymer U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,074 discloses a flexible
latching member formed as an integral part of the device while the Idec
Corporation model FFR 1H OPTO FIBER SENSOR incorporates a sliding latch
retained by a spring which permits it to engage and disengage the DIN
mounting rail. By incorporating the DIN mounting rail provisions as a part
of the device enclosure the manufacturing cost of the device is increased.
In many instances manufacturing time is also increased since some assembly
may be required to install the release mechanism parts to the device
enclosure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an objective of the present invention to provide an inexpensive
mounting bracket which may be used for attaching the enclosures of various
electrical or electronic devices including photoelectric sensors to a DIN
mounting rail. The DIN rail mounting bracket of the present invention is
designed to use the same mounting holes provided on an electrical or
electronic device enclosure for attaching to a standard L-shaped mounting
bracket.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to
those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed
description, claims and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an electronic device attached to a DIN rail
mounting bracket installed on a DIN rail.
FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a DIN rail mounting bracket having two
device mounting flanges.
FIG. 3 is a cross-section view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2 of the DIN
rail mounting bracket.
FIG. 3A is a cross-section view of a mounting bracket prior to installation
on a DIN mounting rail.
FIG. 3B is a cross-section view of a mounting bracket during installation
onto a DIN mounting rail.
FIG. 3C is a cross-section view of a mounting bracket after installation on
a DIN mounting rail.
FIG. 4 is an alternate construction of the DIN mounting rail bracket having
one device mounting flange.
FIG. 5 is an alternate construction of the DIN mounting rail bracket having
an additional hole for mounting electronic devices.
Before one embodiment of the invention is explained in detail, it is to be
understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the
details of construction and description or illustrated in the drawings.
The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or
being carried out in various other ways. Also, it is to be understood that
the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of
description and should not be regarded as limiting.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The apparatus of the present invention comprises a mounting bracket 10 for
mounting an electrical or electronic device enclosure 14 to a DIN rail 18.
The DIN rail 18 is generally U-shaped and includes two opposed, outwardly
extending flanges 22 on which devices may be attached. The mounting
bracket 10 is generally rectangular in shape and has a top surface 26, a
bottom surface 30, a first end 34 second end 38, and a mounting flange 42.
The first and second ends 34 and 38 respectively are generally parallel to
and spaced apart from one another. The mounting flange 42 extends
outwardly from and perpendicularly to the top surface 26 along a
longitudinal edge of the top surface 26. The mounting flange 42 is also
perpendicular to the first and second ends 34 and 38 respectively. The
mounting flange 42 is provided with a number of holes 46 for the purpose
of attaching the mounting bracket 10 to the device enclosure 14 by means
such as screws 52. As shown in FIG. 2, it may be desirable to have a
second mounting flange 56 parallel to and spaced apart from the mounting
flange 42. The first end 34 of the mounting bracket 10 includes a J-shaped
hook 60. The hook 60 includes a long side which is also the bottom surface
30 of the mounting bracket 10 and a short side 64 which is generally
parallel to and spaced apart from the bottom surface 30 and includes an
end 68 which points generally toward the second end 38 of the bracket 10.
The hook 60 receives a portion of one of the outwardly extending flanges
22 of the DIN rail 18 in the space between the bottom surface 30 and the
short side 64. The mounting bracket 10 is permitted to rotate slightly
around that portion of the flange 22 received within the hook 60. A small
dimple 72 projects downward from the bottom surface 30 at a point slightly
beyond the end 68 of short side 64 of the hook 60. As the mounting bracket
10 is rotated around the flange 22 the dimple 72 engages the flange 22
causing frictional interference between the dimple 72, the short side 64
of the hook 60 and the flange 22. This interference prevents the bracket
from sliding linearly along the DIN rail 18. The second end 38 of the
mounting bracket 10 includes a flange 76 extending outwardly from and
perpendicularly to the bottom surface 30 of the mounting bracket 10. The
flange 76 has a distal end 80 and includes an integrally formed flexible
latching member 84. The latching member 84 includes an inclined surface
88, a latch surface 92, and a release lever 96. The inclined surface 88
has a first end 100 pivotally attached to the distal end 80 of flange 76
and a second end 104, the inclined surface 88 forms an acute angle with
flange 76. The latch surface 92 is generally parallel to and spaced apart
from the bottom surface 30 of the mounting bracket 10 approximately the
same distance as the short side 64 of the hook 60. The latch surface 92
has a first end 108 integrally connected to the second end 104 of the
inclined surface 88 and a second end 112. The release lever 96 is
generally perpendicular to the latch surface 92, parallel to the flange 76
and is integrally connected to the second end 112 of the latch surface 92.
The release lever 96 extends upward beyond the top surface 26.
During installation of the mounting bracket 10 onto the DIN rail 18 a
portion of one of the flanges 22 is inserted into the hook 60 and the
mounting bracket 10 is rotated onto the DIN rail 18. As the mounting
bracket 10 is rotated onto the DIN rail 18 the inclined surface 88 engages
the outermost edge of the other flange 22 causing the latching member 84
to be flexed outwardly. This flexing movement allows the flange 22 to
slide along the inclined surface 88 until it reaches the second end 104 of
the inclined surface 88. As the flange 22 passes the second end 104 of the
inclined surface 88 the latching member 84 flexes inwardly permitting the
latch surface 92 to engage the flange 22 thereby locking the mounting
bracket 10 onto the DIN rail 18.
To remove the mounting bracket 10 from the DIN rail 18 the release lever 96
must be manually moved in a direction away from the flange 22 of the DIN
rail 18. This movement causes the latching member 84 to flex outwardly
permitting the latch surface 92 to disengage the flange 22. With the latch
surface 92 disengaged the mounting bracket 10 may be rotated off of the
DIN rail 18. The latch surface 92 is normally in an engaged position as
shown in FIGS. 3A and 3C but may be selectively moved to a disengaged
position as shown in FIG. 3B by forcing the inclined surface 88 outwardly
during installation or by selectively moving the release lever 96
outwardly during removal.
An alternate mounting bracket construction is shown in FIG. 5 wherein the
mounting flange 42 has a different shape and hole pattern for mounting
other electrical or electronic devices.
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